Preparing Healthy Meals for 60,000 at Samsung’s Biggest Mobile Factory in the World

As the largest Samsung Electronics mobile phone factory in the world, Samsung Electronics Vietnam Thai Nguyen (SEVT) employs more than 60,000 people. In addition to the facilities needed to support 60,000 employees – such as desks, chairs, and computers – that also means the need to feed 60,000 people every day. How does SEVT manage such a mammoth feat? Let’s take a look at what goes into Samsung’s giant dining facilities in the Vietnam office.

‘Hungry Bellies Have No Ears’

Having been operating since the first quarter of 2014, SEVT today employs about 60,000 people, and that number continues to climb. Every day, hundred thousands of hi-tech products like the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge are created by those diligent employees. Nevertheless, as a Vietnamese saying goes, “Hungry bellies have no ears”, so Samsung believes it is important to keep its entire staff well fed and healthy, so they will continue to put forth their best efforts.

“With a staff of over 60,000 employees, SEVT is currently running three large canteens, operated all day and night long with the most advanced cooking lines, serving around 90,000 meals per day. We are totally confident in our ability to bring healthy and nutritious meals to all our employees,” said Mr. Hoa, a manager who works at SEVT Canteen 1.

A view of one SEVT canteen

13 Tons of Rice, 7 Tons of Meat, 10 Tons of Vegetables Consumed Daily

We followed Mr. Hoa around SEVT Canteen 1 and witnessed how lunch gets prepared. All told, the SEVT dining facilities use about 13 tons of rice, 7 tons of meat, 10 tons of vegetables and 5 tons of fruit each day. Dealing with such a massive amount of food is far from easy. “In SEVT, the whole process – from receiving the ingredients to storage to food preparation, along with food hygiene & safety issues and waste treatment – is always strictly compliant with all EHS (Environment Health Safety) department regulations,” said Mr. Hoa.

Three of the chefs from SEVT Canteen 1

All three canteens are all equipped with the most cutting-edge food preparation systems and devices, and sterilization is always ensured using high temperatures and UV ray technology. In terms of personnel, dining hall employees have to abide by rigid rules regard uniforms and personal hygiene, as well as frequently take part in food hygiene and safety training courses. Each cafeteria was designed with separate areas for receiving foods, storage, and different cooking zones for various types of food – like rice, meats and soups – along with the actual dining spaces. The dining rooms are spacious and decorated with vivid colors and images to make them pleasant and comfortable for employees and visitors.

The kitchens go to remarkable lengths to ensure the highest levels of sanitation, following the 4R’s (the Right zone, Right temperature, Right order, and Right expiration dates), and keeping all foods and fruits stored separately under the right conditions.

An employee puts food into storage

At present, all the cooking equipment and appliances in the SEVT dining facilities are imported from Korea. “Our menus change every day throughout the month without repeating,” said Mr. Hoa. “We researched to make sure we meet people’s daily nutritional allowances, and devised a variety of menus to bring more choices to employees. We also conduct regular surveys with our personnel to get feedback to make sure we can make delicious dishes that meet our employees’ expectations. For instance, dishes that are considered specialties of central Vietnam are served in Canteen 1, which is always very popular with employees.”

The day’s menu options get displayed at the entrance

In addition to meals designed for the local employees, the SEVT cafeterias also offer plenty of Korean options. Lee Gwan, the Korean Chief Cook, explained, “We expect to offer the distinctive flavors of our homeland to the Korean employees here. So all our cooks in SEVT are well trained in Korean cuisine. Some ingredients and products can be found in Vietnam, and the rest are imported from Korea.”

Cleanliness Always a Priority

Finally, once each meal is finished, all the cooking equipment and dishes get a thorough cleaning. After each meal, all the employees carry their trays, chopsticks and spoons to the washing zone, where leftover food is disposed of and utensils are sorted for cleaning. To minimize food waste, the cafeteria organizes lucky drawings and games for those who leave no food after they are done with each meal.

SEVT Canteen 1 employees

Ensuring everyone at SEVT has a delicious and nutritional lunch really plays an important role in providing employees the energy they need to work well through each day. With such an enormous number of personnel in SEVT, the cafeteria staff plays a crucial part in running the whole factory. The day-by-day devotion of these cooks and other kitchen employees undergirds SEVT’s spectacular successes.